Hold On
by Swan123458
Summary: Sora's birthday plans with Yamato are canceled when his band comes up and Sora goes out with Taichi. Sorato/Taiora. Please R&R.


A/n: Well, here I go again with another songfic. I have nothing against Yamato, but he is very OOC in this. Please review, but please no flames. Thanks! ^_^ 

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Hold On' by Sarah McLachlan or Digimon.

****

Hold On 

She walked into the room with an uneasy feeling. She saw him standing on the left side of the room, snickering, a gun causally being held in his right hand. Her body began to shake as she walked more into the apartment, a figure laying on the floor coming into view. She swallowed hard as she braced herself for the sight she was about to see…

__

Hold on,

hold on to yourself,

for this is gonna hurt like hell.

*The Day Before* 

"Oh...okay...no, I understand...that's all right...I'll talk to ya later then...love you too." She hung up the phone with a sigh. It was _only_ her birthday. She _was_ going to go to a movie and dinner with him, but his band manager called an emergency practice for the concert that was this weekend. She sat down on the couch and grabbed up the remote for the TV. "Taichi wouldn't have let this happen." She mumbled under her breath. Two channels clicked past. "Get a hold of yourself, Sora. You're with Yamato, _not_ Taichi." She said aloud, mentally kicking herself. Sora leaned back, her head resting on the back of the couch. Letting out a loud breath she closed her eyes, letting her mind drift.

__

Hold on,

hold on to yourself

you know that only time will tell.

A sharp knock at the door shook her from her reverie. Sora got up from the couch and walked to the door, unlatching the lock. 

"Happy Birthday!"

"Taichi? Come in…what are you doing here?"

"Just came to wish you a happy birthday."

"There is such a thing as a phone, you know."

"That disappointed to see me, huh?"

"No, it's just that you didn't have to go out of your way to-"

"Fine then, I'll just have to take this back." He said, producing a small black rectangle box from the inside pocket of his black jacket. Sora's gaze fell as the box was placed in her hands. She glanced up to Taichi like an eager child, before she carefully untied the thin white ribbon around it. Inside the box, on top of a thin layer of cotton was a silver chain bracelet. 

"Do you like it?"

"Taichi, it's beautiful! I love it!" Sora took the bracelet from its case and held it in her hands, the silver glinting in the light. Taichi then took it from her palm and unhooked the latch, a barely audible "Here," escaping his lips. Sora lifted her arm up and he gingerly clasped the chain around her wrist. 

"There, how's that?" Sora looked up to Taichi, a smile creeping up on her face.

"Do you want to go to a movie or something?"

"...aren't you doing something with Yamato?"

"I was, but his band manager called a practice for their concert this weekend."

"I see...he does that a lot, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, he does...Let's just go and do something fun." Sora said, grabbing her coat and backpack-purse. Taichi offered her his arm after she shut and locked the door. Sora was apprehensive at first but then took it with a smile.

The rest of the evening was the birthday Sora had always wished for. They went out to the best Italian restaurant in the city and then went for a moonlit walk through the park, stopping at a bench to look at the stars.

"They're so beautiful. I wish I could just watch them like this every night." Sora sighed and laid her head on Taichi's shoulder, entwining her arm with his and taking his hand in her own.

__

"What am I doing? Why am I doing this? I love Yamato, but...he's never there when I need him," Sora sighed, _"But...Taichi's always there for me, he always was...What am I saying? I love Yamato...not Taichi.... don't I?"_

What is it in me that refuses to believe

this isn't easier than the real thing?

The two sat together about a half and hour before Sora decided that she should be going. Taichi then drove Sora back to her apartment building and walked with her up to the door.

"Thanks for the great evening, Taichi." Sora said, embracing him lightly.

"No problem. Happy birthday." he returned the hug and before he got three steps from the door, he turned back to Sora, kissing her quickly on the cheek. "I love you." he whispered into her ear before sprinting down the hallway.

Sora stared blankly as her hand fumbled behind her for the doorknob. She found the brass knob and turned it, the door opening with a slight creak. A puzzled look replaced the startled expression as she remembered that she had locked the door before she had left with Taichi. She walked into the room, her heart picking up pace. The television illuminated the room and the shadow of a figure on the couch was enlarged on the wall. Sora shut the door behind her and switched on the light. An uneasy feeling filled her as she realized whom it was...She had only given the extra key to one person...Yamato. 

"Ya-Yamato...?"She stammered. Yamato rose from the couch and turned to face Sora.

"So, you're back. Did you have fun?" he walked towards her and she backed up to the wall, a startled gasp escaping her lips as she bumped into it.

"Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I came to be with you on your birthday, just like I had promised you; you're more important to me than my band is." he leaned forward to kiss her, but Sora her head away from him.

"That's bullshit, Yamato and you know it!" she said, her face returning to meet his. She pushed him away and walked by, tossing her coat onto the couch.

"Sora-"

"Don't 'Sora' me." she turned to him, glaring, her eyes watering, "What's so different about my birthday?! What about all of those other times we had something planned and your band came up? What about our anniversary?! _Your_ band was more important than _our_ anniversary!" she cried, the tears leaking down her face. Yamato looked to the floor, avoiding Sora's gaze. "Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry that I couldn't give you the evening that you wanted."

"Oh, I had the_ best _evening I ever could have wanted."

"What?" Yamato looked up, confusion on his face.

"You heard me."

"...you were with _him_, weren't you?"

"Who-"

"Where'd you get that bracelet?"

"Taichi."

"You _were_ with him…how could you betray me like that?!"

"I didn't betray you at all, I just-"

"I trusted you! How long have you been doing this? Days? ...Weeks? ...Months?!"

"Yamato, I've never cheated on you, never!"

"LIAR!" he shoved Sora into the wall, the shock jarring the photos beside her head. 

"Yamato, please, you're hurting me..."she whimpered, her eyes shut and her head turned from his piercing eyes. 

"QUIET!" Yamato's grip loosened from Sora's shoulders and his hand flew into her face, sending the young woman to the floor. She rubbed the stinging red mark that lay across her cheekbone with her hand as she kneeled on the soft dark green carpet; sobbing softly. Sora crawled to the wall and sat up against it. She looked up at him, a red mark already visible on her face.

***************************

Raindrops tapped on the window; a few claps of thunder accompanying the symphony of falling rain.

"...What was I thinking? She's already with Yamato...stupid...stupid" Taichi sighed as he let his head fall onto the cool steel door of his apartment, causing a slight clunking sound with each 'stupid'. He sighed once more before he took off his dripping coat and hung it up by the door. He then went to the bathroom and grabbed a towel, walking back out while drying the wet mass of hair. Taichi paused at the phone and picked it up, quickly dialing Sora's number. 

**************************

"Yamato-" she started, standing up.

"Shut up, whore." Yamato then slapped Sora to the floor again. Sora struggled to her knees, her body racked with sobs.

"Please, Yamato-" the shrill ring of the phone startled Sora and she immediately cut herself off.

"…What are you waiting for, bitch? Answer the phone! If you say anything about what happened, I'll really give you something to cry about!" He kicked her hard in the ribs, sending new waves of pain through the young woman. She slowly rose to her feet and walked to the phone, Yamato's gaze following her. Sora shakily picked up the receiver, quickly regained her compose and answered, her voice surprising sounding normal.

"Hello?"

_"Sora, it's Taichi. I just wanted to-"_

"Oh hi Hikari!"

__

My love, 

you know that you're my best friend,

you know I'd do anything for you.

_"Sora?"_

" Yamato's over here for my birthday."

_"What's wrong, did he hurt you?"_

"Yeah, he got me a beautiful silver bracelet."

_"Are you okay?"_

"No I haven't seen Taichi in a while, how is he?"

_"Do you want me to come over?"_

"No, that's okay…well, I should be going now. Thanks for the happy birthday, Hikari. Bye."

_"Bye-" _

Sora hung up the phone before he could finish and turned to Yamato. 

"What did she want?"

"To wish me a happy birthday."

"At eleven-thirty at night?"

"She said that she was busy all day today." She sat down on the floor, her side aching. 

"Just remember what happened tonight, before the next time you go off to fuck Taichi." Yamato spat, getting his coat and walking out the door. 

__

***************************

The hall was dimly lit and the single shadow crept through the darkness; stopping at the door two down from his own. He drew in a few short breaths and lightly knocked on the door. He waited and heard soft footsteps approaching. The door opened and a slight smirk crossed the young man's face, which faded quickly into the shadows. A soft voice cut through the night.

"Yamato…? What are you doing here?"

"Mimi…" he choked, "…she played me…." Tears streaked down the blonde's face. Mimi walked out into the hallway and drew him into a warm embrace. She then led him into her apartment and onto the couch where he continued to cry. The tears ceased as Yamato laid his head on the girl's shoulder. Mimi sighed and rested her head down on his, her eyes closing and her hand running through his hair.

Yamato let out a long breath onto Mimi's neck, sending chills up her spine. He moved his head forward, kissing her neck. She gently pushed him away and her eyes slipped shut once again as his face met hers, the scent of his cologne filling her nostrils. She soon felt his lips touching her own and his wandering hands on her body. Mimi softly moaned and giggled with each deepening kiss.

"I'm here for you, Yamato..." She managed to whisper out through the kisses. Yamato traveled from her lips down to her neck. 

"Now you'll pay for what you did to me, Sora." He murmured against Mimi's skin.

"Did you say something?" Mimi asked, completely dazed. He stopped kissing her neck and faced her.

"No…" he then drew her into a passionate kiss, their bodies falling onto the soft material of the couch. Their clothes were thrown onto the floor shortly after…

***************************

Flickering streetlights illuminated the sidewalk and the sound of rain coming down in sheets filled the air. Sora ran through the rain, her side aching, her heart pounding, and her lungs burning from the crisp spring air. She stumbled up the stairs of the apartment building, falling down twice on the slick metal. Half-jogging down the hallway, her footsteps echoing, she reached the door she was looking for and rapped on it softly, her strength dwindling. The pain throughout her body from Yamato and from falling increased. She then leaned on the wall, sliding down it until she was sitting on the ground, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. Tears leaked from her eyes and mingled with the raindrops that dripped down her face from her soaking hair that was matted to her forehead.

"Taichi…" she uttered, the words escaping her lips in a light puff of air as her eyes shut. She heard the lock click and her head turned to see Taichi in the doorway. 

__

My love,

Let nothing come between us,

My love for you is strong and true.

"Sora?" He stepped out into the hall and knelt down next to her. "Did he do this to you?" he asked, anger behind every word. Sora looked at him; a weak smile crossing her face before faded as a new flood of tears followed her slight nod. 

"…Can I stay with you tonight?" she whispered, her pain echoing through her voice. Taichi simply nodded, picking her up and carrying her inside the dark apartment, setting her down on the couch. 

"I'll go get you a towel." Sora shivered slightly, rubbing her arms with her hands. Taichi then came back with two thick white towels and draped one around her shoulders, placing the other beside her. Sora pulled the towel shut, trapping in the little body heat that she had. Taichi rubbed her arms in an attempt to get her warmer. He helped her dry off and got her a change of clothes. 

Sora went into the bathroom to change into the clothes that Taichi had brought her. She peeled off the wet shirt that clung to her skin and gasped at the sight that was reflected in the mirror. Her left side was a large purple bruise that was yellow around the edges. She winced as she ran her fingertips over the discolored skin that was beginning to swell. Quickly slipping out of the rest of her wet clothes, she put on the pair of gray sweatpants and the navy blue T-shirt. She took another glance at the mirror and the red mark on her face had now darkened with a slight tinge of purple. After hanging her clothes up on the shower to dry overnight, she walked out. 

Taichi turned on the lights and sat down on the couch. He then heard the door click and he turned his head to see Sora coming out. He laughed slightly as she came into view; she was practically swimming in them. Sora walked to the couch and slowly sat down next to Taichi. 

__

"I'm sorry for coming here so late and waking you up…" Sora said, turning her head to face him; her voice was barely a whisper as tears formed in her eyes, her mind remembering the reason why she came to Taichi in the first place. Taichi's face softened and he wiped the tears away from Sora's eyes. Sora shut her eyes as his hand touched her skin, tears falling onto his finger and down her face. She opened her eyes and looked away from Taichi's gaze; the light flooding from behind her and flowing over the small bruise that was forming at the base of her cheek and jaw bone. 

__

Am I in heaven here or am I…

At the crossroads I am standing

Taichi's fingers then moved from the tears to the marks, his fingertips running over them softly. As she felt his touch on the tender patches, she withdrew from him. Taichi quickly pulled his hand away from her, his eyes avoiding hers.

"Taichi…" she whispered, her hand bringing his head back around to face her. "I'm so, so sorry…I didn't realize until now how long I've loved you." She closed her eyes as Taichi gently kissed her lips. They broke apart and Sora laid her head on Taichi's shoulder, Taichi laying his down on hers.

Sora soon fell asleep on Taichi's shoulder. He noticed her soft breathing and sighed. He slowly moved out from under her head and gently picked her up and carefully walked down the hallway so that he wouldn't wake her up. Taichi carried her to his bedroom and laid her on the bed. She moaned softly as her head sank into the pillow, a small 'Taichi' escaping her lips. Sora's eyes opened slightly as Taichi was walking back out the door.

"Please don't leave Taichi…" she whispered, tears sliding down her face. Her hand reached out for him as he turned around and walked back to her. He took her extended hand in his own, entwining his fingers with hers as he lay down beside her. He then wiped the tears off her face and kissed her forehead. Sora closed her eyes and nuzzled Taichi's neck, running her hand through his hair. "Please stay with me tonight Taichi…" she paused. "I don't want to be alone…"

~*~

Sora trembled under Taichi's touch, drawing in shuddering breaths in between his tender kisses upon her lips. 

"Why can't it always be like this?" Sora breathed, lying down next to Taichi. She closed her eyes and sighed happily as she rested her head on his naked chest. She fell asleep listening to her love's heartbeat.

__

So now you're sleeping peaceful I lie awake and pray  
that you'll be strong tomorrow and we'll  
see another day and we will praise it  
and love the light that brings a smile across your face  


Sora woke the next morning at quarter to eleven, which was quite late for her. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and noticed Taichi was gone. She got up from the bed, a sheet around her body and went to the bathroom to put her clothes on. After getting dressed she went to the refrigerator to get some water when a post-it® note on the front of it caught her eye. It read:

Sora,

Went to Yamato's to straighten things out for you. Don't worry I'll be fine. 

Love,

Taichi

The breath caught in her throat as she stated at the note, her eyes reading it over and over, hoping that it was just an illusion. She quickly got her shoes on and ran out the door towards Yamato's…

***************************

*Knock, knock*

"Yeah? Oh, it's _you_." Yamato opened the door and motioned for Taichi to come in. He walked in and shut the door behind him. "So what brings you here?" Yamato asked, walking through the small hall into the rest of the apartment and leaning up against the wall as he entered the rest of the room, his arms crossed. 

"Stop playing stupid, Yamato. Sora came to my place last night and-"

"Wow, you really hit the jackpot. Twice in the same day…"

"What?"

"Oh don't look so shocked, Taichi. I know what you and that whore have been doing." Yamato smiled as Taichi's fists clenched. 

"You bastard…" Taichi then charged at Yamato and slammed him into the wall.

"Ooh, temper, temper. You really should see someone about it, it's not good for your health."

Taichi's eyes narrowed and he punched Yamato in the side of the face, sending the blonde to the floor. Yamato retaliated by rushing Taichi, punching him in the face and kneeing him in the stomach. Taichi kept his composure and ran at Yamato, sending an onslaught of punches to the young man's face and abdomen. Yamato staggered back from a panting Taichi and wiped the blood from his nose off his face. Yamato looked at the blood on his hand and then back up to Taichi. He smiled lightly to himself as he reached behind him and pulled a gun out from the back of his pants, pointing the barrel at Taichi's chest. Taichi drew in a quick breath and stared at the gun in Yamato's hand, his finger flirting with the trigger. 

"Don't have any thing to say to me now, do you?"

"Please, Yamato-"

"Shut up!" he yelled, walking closer to Taichi. "I didn't say you could talk did I…that's what I thought. Now, on to business." he circled around Taichi, the gun still pointed at his chest. "What right do you think you have that lets you take Sora from me? She's mine."

"…I never took her from you."

"Oh but you did…you slipped in behind my back when I was away and stole her from me." Yamato pressed the gun into the middle of Taichi's chest. "Now you'll have to pay for stealing…any last words?" Taichi looked straight into the eyes of his friend and shook his head before speaking.

"You…you never loved her did you?"

~*~

Sora ran down the street, her body pushing to its limits. She began pushing herself harder for deep in her heart she knew something was wrong…

__

~*~

"You seriously think that I never loved Sora?" Yamato laughed lightly to himself and whispered into Taichi's ear. "How right you are my friend." 

A shot echoed through the apartment.

~*~

*Sora's POV*

I was at the edge of collapsing when I felt it…

Something happened to Taichi…

__

Oh God, if you're out there won't you hear me?

I know that we've never talked before.

I felt as if I had just been punched in the stomach and the wind was knocked from me. I fell to my knees on the sidewalk and felt a growing pain in my heart. I quickly got up and began running again as tears ran down my face. 

Taichi…

__

Oh God, the man I love is leaving,

Won't you take him when he comes to your door?

~*~

Taichi's eyes went wide as the bullet burst through the right side of his sternum and into the flesh of his lung before exploding out of his back and into the back of the couch. Taichi gasped and clasped a hand over the gushing hole, his legs shaking beneath him. He stumbled backward and fell down on his back in the middle of the room beside the coffee table, his breathing becoming short and jagged.

~*~

I reached his room and stopped to listen. 

Silence.

That's all I heard. 

Silence. 

Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next…

__

Am I in heaven here or am I in hell,

At the crossroads I am standing

I turned the brass knob and walked in the door and down the hallway. Yamato was the first thing I saw as I scanned the room. He was standing to the left of the hall, a gun held casually in his right hand. His eyes met mine and he snickered at me before gesturing for me to continue walking in. I walked more into the room, still searching for Taichi and disregarding the gun; Taichi was my greatest priority. 

I noticed a figure on the floor in a small pool of blood beside the coffee table and my whole body began to shake. I rushed over to the figure, falling to my knees at the person's side. I gasped and tears began to fall from my eyes as I saw that it was my Taichi. 

"Oh God, Taichi…God no…Taichi…please…say something." My hands shook as I took one of his bloodied hands in my own, lightly squeezing it in an attempt to wake him up. I felt warm tears running down and off my face onto Taichi's body, the salty tears mingling with his warm blood. I turned to Yamato, who was looking at me with a smile on his face. That was it. I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"You bastard…you fucking bastard…why…? WHY?!!!" I screamed, tears flying from my eyes. He continued smiling as he replied.

"It's simple. He took what was mine. He had to pay the price." I shook my head, not wanting to believe what I just had heard. 

"How could I have _EVER_ loved you?!! You heartless son of a bitch!" The tears blurred my vision as I continued to scream at him, my anguished heart trying to find comfort. I turned away from him as I continued to sob, I couldn't look at him…

I turned back to Taichi, the tears still flowing in a stream down my face. I shakily brushed the hair from his eyes with my clean hand and touched his cheek with the back of my hand. He was still warm…

"Sora…" I heard him whisper through a hoarse, airy voice. His eyes opened slowly and he smiled as he squeezed my hand. I smiled sadly back to him. 

"Please don't go…" I choked out. Tears fell from his eyes this time as I spoke. He spoke again, his weak voice full of sorrow.

"I'm sorry-…" he was about to say something else, but he stopped and began to cough. He took his hand from mine and covered his mouth. With each second the coughing became more violent, causing his whole body to jerk. He exhaled and put his hand at his side. His lips and his chin were covered in red speckles of blood. He closed his eyes and more tears fell out of the corners. I reached down and wiped his tears away, while my own fell down my face. Taichi opened his eyes again and brought his hand up to my face, wiping my tears away. I leaned into his touch and placed my hand over his, holding it in place. I closed my eyes and whimpered lightly. Our time together was ticking away….

"I…love…you…Sora…" he whispered. My eyes opened and I looked straight into his. The tears came back in streams and I knew that he was leaving soon.

"Taichi…I love you too. I don't want you to leave me…not now…please." I leaned down and kissed his lips lightly, his hand still on my face. I broke from him and gazed into his eyes. No longer were they the bright chocolate brown that I had once known, but were a dull brown, almost black. I choked back a cry as a "God no…" fell from my lips as I kissed his blood-covered palm.

"Sora…I…" he managed to say among gurgles. I tried to hold back the tears, with no avail. They flowed down my face and down Taichi's arm. My lips quivered as I saw the rest of his spirit faded from his eyes and his hand began to slip from my face. I felt his touch fall from my cheek and I watched as his hand fell to the floor. I held my hand where his used to be, a bloody and handprint in its place. 

My whole body was shaking and I refused to believe that he was really gone. I shakily shook him in an attempt to wake him up; my mind telling me it was useless; but my heart continually telling me that there might be a chance. I sobbed, calling his name as I shook him; each time becoming a little weaker than the first. I couldn't take it anymore. I gave up and collapsed on his chest, crying his name with my last efforts of "Please come back to me…" being whispered into his bloody shirt… 

__

Hold on,

Hold on to yourself,

For this is gonna hurt like hell.


End file.
